Young Actress Spooks Viewers with Chilling Movie Role

Kim Yoon-hye

Actress Kim Yoon-hye is giving audiences a chill with her striking performance as a cold and aloof high school girl in director Choi Jin-sung's romantic thriller "Steel Cold Winter," which was released on Thursday.

"I've heard many times that I look cold or mysterious. A few years ago, I played the role of another psychopathic student in a TV drama, so people may think I'm a kind of cold-hearted or gloomy person. But the reality is far from that," said the 22-year-old actress.

"At first, I was afraid that I'd become typecast, but I also realize that I've been given a rare opportunity. And as I appear in more films or dramas in the future, I'm sure I'll be able to expand my acting range rather than being pigeonholed."

The shooting of "Steel Cold Winter" mostly took place on an icy lake beside a rural village.

"I spent two hours every morning and evening for three weeks learning how to skate for the movie. That was quite challenging, especially with all the cold weather," she said.

"But the hardest part was getting to grips with the character, because she doesn't have that many lines, so I had to convey a lot of her feelings simply through the expression on my face, or by using my eyes emotively."

Kim started modeling after she was spotted by a fashion magazine editor at the age of 11 and continued to appear in advertisements through high school. She switched over to acting one year ago.

"Even at a young age, I liked being photographed. Then I appeared in a music video, which got me interested in acting as a career because you can become completely immersed in the world of one character."